Pennyrile

region, Kentucky, United States

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July 23, 2026

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The Pennyrile, also known as the Pennyroyal, is a region in Kentucky, United States, covering approximately 12,000 square miles. It is characterized by wooded hillsides, small farms, cliffs, and a history of open grasslands known as the Barrens. This region is particularly noted for its extensive cave systems, including Mammoth Cave National Park, earning it the nickname "Land of Ten Thousand Sinks" due to the limestone geology and abundant underground water. The Pennyrile's economy is diversified, encompassing farming and other industries, and it borders most other regions of Kentucky except the Bluegrass.12

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Kentucky
Relief
The Pennyrile, spanning an area of some 12,000 square miles (31,000 square km), adjoins every other region of Kentucky except the Bluegrass. On the north its irregular boundaries are the Western Coalfield, the Ohio River, and the Knobs; on the east it merges with the Mountain…
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The Pennyrile, spanning an area of some 12,000 square miles (31,000 square km), adjoins every other region of Kentucky except the Bluegrass. On the north its irregular boundaries are the Western Coalfield, the Ohio River, and the Knobs; on the east it merges with the Mountain…
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